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WASHINGTON — Extending a hand toward its neighbors in Louisiana, GSA is pitching in help revitalize Lafayette Square, a 1.7-acre city park in the downtown New Orleans adjacent to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals as well as the nearby F. Edward Herbert Federal Building and the Hale Boggs Federal Building and Courthouse.

“This is about partnership,” said GSA Regional Administrator J.D. Salinas, head of the agency’s Greater Southwest Region “GSA’s Good Neighbor Program is one of the best ways where we, as a community, may work alongside one another to ways to enhance the park’s existing beauty and revitalizing other areas which may need help.”

Working in conjunction with the Lafayette Square Conservancy (LSC) as part of GSA’s Good Neighbor Program, GSA is continuing its efforts to improve the New Orleans economic development and livability in the wake of the lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina. GSA is contributing $20,000 towards additional lighting for the park.

“We are so grateful to have brought together partners from public, private and non-profit sectors to improve one of New Orleans’ great public spaces,” said Babs Johnson, President of the Lafayette Square Conservancy. “We are, quite literally, shining a light on downtown urban living, development and safety.”

A nearly 15 year partnership with national and local urban downtown groups, GSA’s Good Neighbor Program works to enhance the vitality of American cities by creating public spaces and supporting neighborhood urban design.

Statuary lighting within the park will be funded by matching grants from Entergy Corporation and the (New Orleans) Downtown Development District. The GSA Good Neighbor Program and funds from Entergy and the DDD will fund the corner lighting project. Total funds of $60,000 have been allocated to date for FY2010, including this project. The conservancy will maintain the lighting.

Did you know? GSA owns and leases over 354 million square feet of space in 8,600 buildings in more than 2,200 communities nationwide. In addition to office buildings, GSA properties include: land ports of entry, courthouses, laboratories, post offices, and data processing centers.